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Japanese idol

In Japanese culture idol (アイドル, aidoru) refers to mostly female
media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered
particularly cute and pretty and who will, for a period ranging from several
months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e. g. as singers for
J-pop groups, bit-part actors, TV personalities (tarento), models in photo
spreads published in magazines, advertisements, etc.

History

The idol phenomenon began during the early seventies, reflecting a boom in Japan
for the musician Sylvie Vartan in the French film Cherchez l’idole in 1963. The term came to be applied to any cute female actress or singer. Teenage girls, mostly between 14 and 16, began rising to stardom. One in particular, Momoe Yamaguchi, was a huge star until her marriage and retirement in 1980. Idols dominated the
pop music scene in the 80s; and this period is known as the “Golden Age of Idols in Japan”. In a single year, as many as 40 or 50 new idols could appear, only to disappear from the public spotlight shortly afterwards. A few idols from that era, such as Seiko Matsuda, are still popular. In the 90s, the power of Japanese idols
began to wane, as the music industry shifted towards rock musicians and singers for whom music was a more important sales point than looks or wholesomeness, as well as towards genres such as rap that were harder to square with conventional prettiness. The Japanese idol phenomenon has had a large impact on popular culture in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

It is commonly said female Japanese idols represent the perfect female form in Japanese society. They are symbols of female sexuality and are often dressed erotically. For this reason they are often idolized by
both males and females. Male audiences’ infatuations with an idol’s good looks are fed with detailed information about the idol’s measurements, favorite colors, food, hobbies, blood type, etc. Female audiences are interested in imitating their style, hair color, fashion, etc. Good examples of fashion-leader idols are Ayumi Hamasaki, hitomi, Ryoko Hirosue and Namie Amuro.

Namie Amuro was the most popular idol in the late 1990s, although marketed as more sexy and mature than other idols. She began her career in 1992 as a vocalist for the pop group Super Monkeys, but the group flopped very
quickly. Producers liked Amuro, and in 1995, she went solo, enjoying massive success. This status has since been eclipsed by Ayumi Hamasaki, who is known as one of Japan’s
current divas.

A diversification occurred in the 1990s and instead of few idols vying for popularity, a number of idols with specific characteristics divided the market. In the mid-1990s, idols became much younger than before, and
groups of idols like Speed and Morning Musume became prominent. A new genre of idols called Net Idols became known in the late 1990s, only appearing on websites. In 1997, there appeared Kyoko Date, the first “cyber idol” or “virtual idol”. Kyoko Date has a fabricated history and statistics and her own songs. Meanwhile, gurabia aidoru (グラビアアイドル, i.e. “[photo] gravure idols”) such as Yoko Matsugane, Rio Natsume and Eiko Koike have largely appeared skimpily clad in “cheesecake” photographs.

Whereas in previous years an idol kept up her idol image until she chose to retire or was simply too old to continue being a credible idol, in recent years several ex-idols have successfully matured from being an
idol to becoming full-fledged actresses, singers or musicians who are respected for their craft instead of (or in addition to) being admired for their looks and image. A good example of an ex-idol who is now a respected singer, songwriter and musician is Hitomi, who is known for writing her own lyrics, being heavily involved in the composition and production of her own music, and playing her
own guitar, though she does from time to time tease her fans by modeling sexy outfits ordinarily worn by younger women. In addition, Hitomi is well-known for maintaining a successful pop career after marriage and motherhood.

Culture

The culture of Japanese idols has changed over the years and
it is questionable whether past idols would have the same amount of success if given the same opportunity today. Most of those called idols have sung songs that would fit J-Pop and they are generally pretty, cute, or fresh-faced, if not beautiful. However, there are exceptions to the norm.

In the 1970s, idols had an aura of mystique that left much
of their lifestyles secret. Their public and “private” lives were
carefully orchestrated—they always appeared perfect in all situations and seemed to enjoy a lavish lifestyle that most Japanese could only dream about. In reality, however, they were placed under continuous surveillance by their promoters and were unable to enjoy the private lives invented for them. Their pay was surprisingly low. They were often overworked and even if their songs sold well most of the money went to the musicians and writers. Fans had few opportunities to see them beyond a few minutes on TV or radio and it was difficult
to share their interests. Magazines were the best source for information and many idols had an official fan club that periodically mailed what little information could be released.

In the 1980s, idols became much closer to average Japanese people; this is likely because the average lifestyle of the Japanese improved. While still tightly controlled, idols were allowed to show more of their actual
personalities and were permitted to let out some carefully scripted outbursts. The media often fabricated “competitions” between two or more idols, based on things like the number of records sold, the number of fans in the official fan club, etc. In the late 1980s, instead of relying on magazines and TV, some started experimenting with new media and technologies like video games, with mixed results. The working conditions of idols improved and even those with
limited success could live modestly and more of the money made was paid to idols themselves, though they still only received a small portion.

In the 1990s, instead of being marketed as people who lived better and were better than average, idols became people who just happened to have a little something to become popular. Where the tastes of past idols had
to be saccharine, it was now acceptable for an idol to simply love eating ramen or to display something other than a smile, to lament having got a little out of shape or to admit to shopping around for lower prices. Idols also became a fixture in countless anime by singing opening or ending songs that have little relevance to the anime itself. Some experimented with being seiyu, and seiyu
themselves became somewhat like idols, becoming increasingly popular. Even today, some are still involved with the video game industry, though they are not always entirely successful.

AV idol

An AV Idol (adult video idol; AV actress (AV女優, AV joyu)) is a Japanese idol that works in the pornographic business, often both as an actress as well as a model as the video performances have a wide range, from just the idol strolling around their house doing chores in bikinis to hardcore porn. Since the dawn of the AV industry in the early 1980s, hundreds of AV idols have debuted every year, with an average career span of about a year, appearing in five or ten videos during that time. Notable AV idols have careers spanning several years, have a high general public recognition, or make a significant impact on the industry in some other manner.

The AV industry in Japan

The line between “adult” and family entertainment in Japan is not as clear-cut as it is in some other countries. A celebrity may appear in AVs after already having established a career in mainstream television. Also, it is not rare for a popular AV actress to go on to mainstream celebrity. Fornander
reports that “a background in porn is not necessarily a skeleton in the cupboard anymore. In some cases, it’s a career move.”

The AV, or “Adult Video” market is a major
industry in Japan, reportedly worth about ¥400 billion per year. In 1992, it was reported that over 11 AVs were being made every day by over 70 production companies in Tokyo alone. The AV market was estimated to make up about 30 percent of Japan’s video rentals. It was
estimated in 1994 that, between legal and illegal videos, around 14,000 AVs a year were being made in the country, in contrast to about 2,500 in the United States.

The AV actress

Early AV performers were often struggling actresses who could not find work in the theatrical Roman Porno films and girls from the soaplands. AV star Kaoru Kuroki has been credited with raising the status of AV idols in the public’s eye. According to Rosemary Iwamura, “she didn’t seem to be making videos because of a lack of options but rather as an informed choice.”

AV actresses are usually recruited by scouts in Tokyo neighborhoods such as Roppongi, Shinjuku and Shibuya. These scouts are affiliated with talent agencies who then hire the actresses to the AV production companies. Some women wishing to appear in AVs apply to the production companies, but they are
usually referred to the talent agencies. The production companies are typically charged ¥1.5 million or more for an actress to appear in a video. AV actresses make between ¥200,000 and 4 million yen per video.

AV fans are invited to follow the progress of a prominent AV actress’ career over several video appearances. In her AV debut video, the actress is introduced as a “new face,” and her inexperience is played up in interviews preceding the modeling and sex scenes. Following this debut video, the AV audience follows the actress’ journey through sexual awakening, and
her eventual specialization, after about five AV appearances, in a specific genre such as lesbianism or SM. Once the actress has established herself as a mature AV star, she has the options of continuing into some of the more outrageous AV genres, retiring, or, sometimes, re-emerging under a new name as a “new face.”

Types of AV idols

Bornoff identifies some Japanese AV stereotypes as, “the prim Office Lady, the virgin-next-door, the randy farm girl, the leotarded aerobics enthusiast, the sexy predator in the hot-spring resort and, last but not least, the self-assertive slut who is put in her place by being gang-banged on the floor of the cutting room.” Also, noted AV director “Tarzan” Yagi says that a successful AV actress should fit into an easily-identifiable
type which, “can be identified at a glance, making it easier for viewers to recognize the type they prefer.” Yagi mentions, “the ‘slender’ type,
‘Lolita’ type, ‘buxom’ type and so on.”

Some major AV types include:

Busty

While a few early AV idols such as Kyoko Nakamura and Eri Kikuchi made their careers off their large busts, Noriyuki Adachi singles Kimiko Matsuzaka’s 1989 debut as the point at which the “Big Bust Boom”
(巨乳ブーム – Kyonyu Boom) was set on fire.
In the years following Matsuzaka’s debut, the AV world was never without another major big-bust AV idol, including Miki Sawaguchi, Mariko Morikawa, and Anna Ohura. By the mid-1990s, the Big Bust genre had become a staple of the AV industry.

Mature

The vast majority of AV actresses make their debuts in their late teens. However, in the mid-1990s, a trend for “mature women” models in AVs became evident.While youthful debuts would still remain the norm, this
broadening in tastes would pave the way for the debuts of future “mature” AV stars like Aki Tomosaki in 2000, Asuka Yūki‎
in 2005 and Maki Tomoda in 2006, all of whom had passed their 30th birthdays at the time of their debuts. These older actresses became popular in AVs with an incest theme.

Some notable AV idols

Of the literally hundreds of women who make AV debuts in Japan yearly, this is a list of a few AV idols who are notable for reasons such as a making a major impact on the industry, for their high public visibility, or for their extraordinarily long careers.

Yua AidaYua Aida was born in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on August 12, 1984. Aida was a very active girl and involved in many sporting activities during primary and middle school, and tennis was her strongest sport. In high school, she changed her focus from sports to art. Aida reports that being exposed to nude models while oil painting helped her to be more comfortable when she began her AV career. After graduating from high school, Aida began working at a part-time job. At this time she, was scouted by an AV talent agency while shopping in Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood. Aida says that she was not impressed with the talent scout, but when she met the company president, she thought, “This guy is really great. I’m gonna work here!” Aida debuted in photo layouts in 2003 and made her AV debut in the January 2004 with thr DVD release Pichi Pichi. She then went on to star in numerous films. On July 12, 2007, Aida announced in her blog that she was retiring from appearances
in AV, but plans to continue appearing in gravure “Image” videos.

Sora Aoi

Sora Aoi was born November 11, 1983 in Tokyo. As a student, she worked at various part-time jobs in the food-service industry, such as pizza parlours, pubs and sushi bars. While in her third year in high school, Aoi was scouted in Shibuya by a talent agency for gravure modelling. When asked how her stage name was chosen, Aoi explained, “My agency asked what color I liked. I said blue (“ao” in Japanese). He also asked what I like in general. I said sky (“Sora” in Japanese). So, he chose Sora Aoi (means “Blue Sky” in Japanese).”

Rika Goto

Well, as much as I’ve searched, I can’t seem to find much biographical information for Rika. You would
think that a model as stunning as her would have more information about her. Perhaps if I could read Japanese, I’d have more luck reading more about her. At any rate, I can see that she has released 2 DVD’s: Queen’s Eros Carnival in 2005 and R-21, also in 2005.

Miri Hanai

Miri Hanai was born on October
15, 1984). She was born and lives in Tokyo, Japan. She is 147cm (4’10”) tall and her measurements are: (Bust)93cm – (Waist)58cm – (Hips)85cm with a Japanese bra size of H65. Her feet are 23.0cm (9.1″) long. She has type AB blood. Her charm and beauty make her a very popular Japanese gravure idol, and she has starred in many DVD’s and photobooks..

Orei Harada

Orei Harada was born on February
26, 1986 and is a voluptuous Japanese gravure idol or bikini model. Her first photobook, Vanilla, was released in Japan just after her
eighteenth birthday. This initial success was followed up with
photoshoots in several magazines and websites. In 2004, she won the
Miss Magazine annual gravure idol contest put on by publisher Kodansha. According to her blog, Ourei retired from the gravure world on March 31st 2007.

Nemoto Harumi

Nemoto Harumi was born on July 28, 1980 and is a Japanese gravure (bikini) idol from Chiba Prefecture, Japan. is one of the foremost idols. A model for the Yellow Cab talent agency, she wrote a letter to the president of the agency asking to be made a star. He was impressed with her body and gave her a contract. After 2 years since her last DVD X-body, Harumi released the DVD called
Surf Girl. She told the press at the DVD event that she intends

to keep modeling.

Aki Hoshino

Aki was born March 14, 1977 and
is one of Japan’s oldest bikini idols. She has appeared in various
magazines, such as Sabra, and often appears on Japanese television
shows as a guest. One of her nicknames is “Angel of Japan.” In addition to a 2007 calendar, Aki Hoshino has been featured in posters, trading cards, and many DVD’s such as Bengoshi no Kuzu, Watashi Tonjaimashita, Marriage Life, and I Wish You Love.ß

Yui Ichikawa

Yui Ichikawa was born on
February 10, 1986), is an actress and model from Tokyo, Japan. She is
also known by her nickname, Yui-nyan. She has appeared in several
dramas, and in recent years she has concentrated more on her film
career. She played a role in the movie Ju-on: The Grudge and reprised
her character for a bigger role in the sequel, Ju-on: The Grudge 2. She has recently portrayed Nana Komatsu in the film adaptation of the
famous manga Nana, and on December 18, 2006, Ichikawa and co-star Mika
Nakashima came to New York City for the International Premier of NANA 2 at the IFC Center. Her other movies include Sairen, SchoolDaze, and
About Love.

Emi Igawa

Biography is currently unavailable.

Misaki Ito

Misaki Ito was born on May 26, 1977 in Iwaki, Japan and is a Japanese actress, model, and idol. In 1999, she became the Asahi Beer “image girl” and a model under an exclusive contract to CanCam magazine. She also appeared in a Gateway
computers and Choya Umeshu commercials. In 2005, she appeared in the TV drama series Densha Otoko as the love interest of the otaku
protagonist. She also appears in ads for Shiseido’s MAQuillAGE line of
cosmetics (along with Chiaki Kuriyama, Ryoko Shinohara and Yuri
Ebihara) and Seiko watches, in addition to being the current Vodafone
model in Japan, following on from Yu Yamada. She also provided the look and voice for Q’s assistant Miss Nagai in the game James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing.

Ayuko Iwane

Ayuko is a stunning young woman
from Japan. While I don’t know much about her biography, I know she’s
very talented. Need I say more? One of her more recent photobooks is
called Perfume. She seems to be a pop star, and I found 2 of her DVD. If she is a pop star, I anticipate that her career will blossom. But anyway, enjoy the pictures.

Megumi Kagurazaka

Megumi Kagurazaka is a
rising star in the Japanese gravure industry. Her large breasts, cute
smile, and charm are combining to making her one of the most lovely and alluring Japanese bikini idols. She starred in the 2007 movie Gakkô no kaidan as the character of Noriko Mamiya, which has further solidified her modeling career. She remains one of the most beautiful and alluring asian models.

Hitomi Kitamura

Hitomi was born on July 16, 1985 in Saitama, Japan. She is very well-known for her very large figure (I cup) and lovely face. Some of her hobbies include piano,
flute, and singing. A rising star in the Japanese gravure circuit, she
is continually a fan favorite. Her photobooks, calendars, and videos
remain very popular. She has released numerous photobooks and has
appeared in many Japanese television shows. In the Asian world and
beyond, she is truly one of the most desirable gravure idols.

Yoko Kumada

Yoko Kumada was bornon May 13, 1982 is a Japanese gravure idol and singer originally from Gifu city, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. She has appeared on many Japanese variety television shows such as London Hearts, Akko ni Omakase!, and Hebimetasan. In addition to her numerous photobooks, she has also released many DVD’s such as Kumada Yoko, Rodeo Girl, Heartful Days, and Dawning Window. An aspiring singer, she recently released her hit single song, Always.

Yoko Matsugane

Yoko Matsugane was born on born May 26, 1982 and is a Japanese gravure (or bikini) idol from Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. She is famous for her voluptuous figure. She’s released several DVDs and photobooks and has appeared on several TV shows in Japan. As of January 2006, Yoko left her modeling agency, but is still active in producing DVDs and photo sets. At the times of the release of her latest DVD she usually attends promotional events where her fans get to meet their idol and take a picture with her. These events are most often held in department stores in the Akihabara district of Tokyo

Erica Ogawa

Biography is currently unavailable.

MEGUMI

MEGUMI (her real name is Yamano
Megum) is a popular star on many Japanese TV shows such as Fountain of
Trivia (Toribia no izumi). While she has been one of the most popular
gravure idols, her bikini idol output has slowed recently. Nonetheless, she remains popular Asian models for obvious reasons. Contrary to rumor, she has not retired From the entertainment business. She’s become a regular on many Japanese TV shows such as Fountain of Trivia (Toribia no izumi) and had a small acting roll on a popular recent miniseries, Kyumeibyoto nijuyoji (Lifesaving Ward 24 Hours).

Natsume Rio

Natsume Rio was born on born February 20, 1985 and is a Japanese gravure idol. She is best known for having extremely figure on a petite and slender yet curvaceous body.
She has released several DVDs and photobooks and has appeared in
several TV shows in Japan. In 2005, Natsume was featured in a video
game called “Gal of the Sparrow 2”, which also features other popular
J-idols such as Chikako Sakuragi, Saori Yamamoto, and Yuka Watanabe.
This DVD/video game is sold only in Japan. She has become one of the
most popular Japanese gravure idols, achieving international fame,
primarily through the internet.

Ando Sayaka

Ando was born on May 24, 1981 in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan and is a Japanese gravure idol. She is also a former Race queen. Among Japanese enthusiasts, she is quite popular. Her blood type is A, her nickname is Ansaya, and she is 167 centimeters
tall. She has many DVD’s, including Eternal, Lesson 2, Healing Venus,
Aqua, and Fascino.

Yuriko Shiratori

Yuriko_Shiratori was born
on April 29, 1983 in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. In 2004, she
graduated from the Sendai Vocational School and moved to Tokyo, hoping
to become an actress. Once there, she began taking acting and kendo
lessons. Within 2 years, she was awarded the Grand Prize for the A-Team Crystal Pure Auditon and enrolled in the agency, where she become a gravure model. She soon released her first DVD and appeared as a model in the weekly tabloid magazine Shūkanshi and also the internet magazine Fashion Walker. She has recently released her 2nd DVD, Face.

Anna Sonada

Anna’s biography is currently unknown. But maybe that’s OK. Does anyone even read these biographies anyway? Am I just wsting my time by researching and writing these biographies of various Japanese idols and models? Or do people just care about the pictures? Hmmm… time will tell.

Nozomi Takeuchi

Nozomi Takeuchi was born on born on June 25, 1980 and is a Japanese gravure idol, and a female talent. She is from Aichi, belongs to the show-business production ‘Yume Kikaku’. Her nickname is ‘Kojocho’ (means a factory manager), derives from her handle name of the official blog. She graduated from ‘Kunitachi College of Music’ (in Japan), and plays the piano. She has released numerous photobooks and has appeared in many Japanese television shows such as Boku no Ikiru Michi, Akiba Limousine, and Tokoro & Osugi no Tohoho Jinbutsude.

Erina Yamaguchi

Erina was born October 19, 1985 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyūshū island. After graduation, she worked
as a hair model in Fukuoka, and discovered by a modeling agency. She
began her modeling career by posing for Weekly Playboy magazine issued
June 19, 2006. She so far have released one photobook (photographed in
Thailand by Yasuhiko Kani) and two DVDs. She also appeared non-nude
pictorials in various adult magazines. In Japan, Erina Yamaguchi is
best known for her large natural breasts.

Saori Yamamoto

Saori Yamamoto was born
November 16, 1988 and is a Japanese gravure idol from Tokyo, Japan.
Although not well known outside of Japan, she’s one of the most famous
Japanese idols in Japan. She’s best known for her prodigious figure,
although their reported size is greatly disputed, particularly for a
woman her size. Saori has appeared in many stage productions and
television shows in Japan. Modeling and acting are not her only
talents. She is currently on a Japanese national soccer team called
Team Spazio. Like many J-idols, Saori Yamamoto was also featured in a
video game/DVD called Gal of the Sparrow 2, which she announced at
2005’s Tokyo Game Show.

Maria Ozawa

Maria Ozawa is of mixed-race parentage. Her mother is Japanese and her father is French-Canadian, which gives her a look that has been described as “a perfect balance of Japanese beauty mixed with a dash of exoticism.” Since she attended an international school from primary school to high school, she claims that her English reading and writing ability is better than her Japanese. While at school, she played hockey every day, and
often went to karaoke after class. Her hobbies include cooking, which she is good at, and watching AVs on her flatscreen television set.[4] She also enjoys playing video games, and owns a pink Nintendo DS Lite, and a pink PlayStation 2 console.

Ozawa had her first sexual experience at the age of 13, and learned the “48 sexual positions” through a book that she bought herself. She first encountered AVs by watching several tapes that belonged to a friend’s brother. Unlike most AV actresses, Ozawa was not scouted. Instead, she was introduced to the AV industry through a friend that was working in AVs. Ozawa
was interested in the industry, and researched companies until she found B-open, a model agent which she liked. She applied for an interview with the company and was accepted. She started modeling as Miyabi for the site Shirouto-Teien.com in June 2005, which resulted in several sets of photographs and a short hardcore gonzo video released in CD-R and DVD-R formats. She was then signed by
the S1, an AV company that produces light hardcore pornography, premiering for them as Maria Ozawa on October 7, 2005 with the video New Face. Ozawa remembers that she was so nervous during the filming of her first AV that she could not look the male actor in the face.

At S1, Ozawa subsequently appeared in one original video per month until February 2007. She has also participated in several S1 compilation videos including the company’s entry in 2006 AV Open, a competition between Japanese pornographic studios that aims deciding which studio can produce the highest selling video. The video that featured Maria Ozawa, among other AV
idols Sora Aoi, Yua Aida, Yuma Asami, and Rin Aoki won the first place. Maria Ozawa and S1 parted ways in early 2007. Along with Rin Suzuka, Reina Matsushima and Rin Aoki, she moved from the safe, but popular S1 to a new startup company, Dasdas (DAS). On April 25, 2007, Dasdas released the first videos of the company, among which is a video featuring Maria Ozawa. Dasdas videos contain scenes of rape, creampie, urolagnia, enema and physical torture, themes not featured in the light hardcore style of her S1 videos. By the end of 2007, she
signed (not exclusively) to Attackers’ (アタッカーズ), an established AV studio that specialises in thematic rape pornography.

Besides adult videos, she has appeared in V-Cinema films, a photobook and several glamour (“gravure”) videos. She has also appeared on Japanese MTV, and in Yokohama hip hop group DS455’s music video for the song “Summer Time in the D.S.C.”.

During a 2007 interview, Ozawa reported that her interest in the AV industry remains high, and her video cabinet contains nothing but AVs. She makes a good living from the industry, living in a mansion (a high-class apartment) with a US$1,682-per-month rent, and earning a minimum of $8,000 per month. However, while she says that she would quit the industry only if she is forced to do something else, she would try to prevent a friend from beginning work in the AV industry.Ozawa’s family and friends are against her chosen profession, in spite of her apparent pride in her work. When she brought several of her videos home to show her parents, they refused to watch them and told her to get out.

Takahashi Jyuri

Takahashi Jyuri (~Jyuri Takahashi) was born on May 23, 1986 in Hinase Islands of Japan. She’s currently residing at the Shizuoka Prefecture. Jyuri Takahashi’s hobbies include karaoke and photography.

Ayaka Komatsu

Ayaka Komatsu is a Japanese model/actress. She was born on July 23, 1986 in Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture.
Her modeling agency is Amuse. She was a regular model of the now defunct Candy magazine. She also appeared in the Winter 2002-2003 “Angel Blue” fashion catalog and was on the cover of the manga “Young Sunday” dated April 7, 2005.

She was a member of the 2004 edition of the Japanese modeling quartet named Nittelligenic. Prior to this, she did a few swimsuit layouts and continues to do them for magazines such as Sabra.

She has released six photobooks, and six idol DVDs. In order of release date, the photobook titles are: Ayaka no Natsu, Nicchoku, Summer Date, Moon Doll, and Cheeeeeez!♥. The DVDs are named, in order of release date, Figure A, Layer Game/Megami no Chu, Masaka, Moon Doll, 書を捨てよ、水着になろう! (“Throw away the book, probably become the swimwear!”), Dream Note, and Dream Note II.

She has acted in the following movies: “Odoru Daisousasen THE MOVIE 2” (her role in this film was relatively minor; she gets attacked by a vampire), “koibumi”, “Master of Thunder”, “A Perfect Day for Love Letters”, “Drift” and “Drift 2”
(later released as “Drift Deluxe Edition”), and “Boku wa Imouto
ni Koi wo Suru” (which opened in Japan on January 20, 2007, and later in Europe under the English title “My Sister, My Love”). She announced
that she will be in Infection Islandsthat will be released in January 2009.

She also appeared in the reality show “Idol Michi” and made a commercial for Takara, “Popura 2,” as well as an award-winning commercial for the soft drink Fanta. In 2008, she made a commercial for Circle K in which she bites into four sandwiches.

Arguably, her best known job was as Minako Aino/Sailor V/Sailor Venus in the series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon.

Since PGSM wrapped up, Ayaka was in the cast of a TV show called Dandori Musume (“Appointment Girls”). Her role in Dandori Musume is more comic than tragic, in contrast to her PGSM role. Her latest TV shows are dramas called “Girl’s Life” and “Bambino”. CD Japan lists a show called Uranaishi Tenjin (“Fortune Teller’s Display”) with her in the cast. In 2008 she appeared in Average and in episode 7 of Aren’t You a Criminal?.

In October 2007, she acted in a play called “Unlucky
Days”.

Azusa Yamamoto

Azusa Yamamoto also known as Yamamoto Azusa (山本 梓) was born on April 24, 1981. She is a Japanese bikini idol, actress, and an all round media personality.

Mayuko Iwasa

Mayuko Iwasa (岩佐真悠子) (born February 24, 1987 in Nerima, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese entertainer/model.

In her career she has debuted as Miss Magazine 2003 and made the biggest impact in various Japanese magazines as an early-blooming high-school girl.

Mayuko has gained the Graph Prize, the 42nd Golden Arrow Awards (2004) in March 2005.

In June of 2005, Mayuko did a duet song with Naoya Ogawa called “Katte ni Shinryakusha” (An Invader in My Own Way), which was used as an ending song of Sgt. Frog. The two had appearances on Music Station and Pop Jam.

Mayuko was recently seen in the drama Gal Circle as Rika, a ganguro who scams
her friends for money.

Yui Aragaki

Yui Aragaki is a Japanese model, actress, seiyū and occasional radio show host. She is a well-loved Japanese idol.
Born in Naha, Okinawa, she is popularly known as Gakky (ガッキー Gakkī), a nickname given
by Ayako Enomoto in 2001. Because of her fashion sense and logical personality, she gained a large fanbase in and out of Japan.
Her beauty is well-regarded in her home country, being considered as one of the local celebrities who possess beautiful faces.
Along with U-20 idol Maki Horikita, she is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses in Japan who are below twenty years of age.